Webber International, Lindenwood Bowlers Earn Collegiate MVP Honors

LINCOLN, Neb. – Caitlyn Johnson, a sophomore at Webber International, and Scott Hill, a senior at Lindenwood, have been named Most Valuable Players for the 2017-2018 college bowling season by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association (NCBCA).

The NCBCA also announced its All-America teams and additional award winners at the Night of Champions banquet on Wednesday. The banquet was held for the 32 teams that will compete in the Intercollegiate Team Championships starting Thursday at Sun Valley Lanes.

The International Bowling Media Association (IBMA) also announced its award winners and named Johnson and Hill as Collegiate Bowlers of the Year.

Johnson recently was named 2017-2018 Player of the Year by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). She led the nation in average (209.38) and average differential (38.35) and had five top-five finishes, including a victory at the Florida State University Seminole Invitational. She is a current member of Junior Team USA.

“It’s been a rough season for us, a new team, a small team as we had six players all season,” Johnson said. “It’s been a grind. I worked hard, put in the extra work and it paid off. It means a lot.”

Joining Johnson in earning first-team All-America honors are three Wichita State players – Hollyann Johansen, a two-time first-team selection, Sierra Kanemoto, and Sydney Brummett, a three-time first-team selection – along with Schenectady CCC’s Jenna Lemke, who also earned the NCBCA Rookie of the Year honor.

Hill led the nation in average differential (32.48), was second in average (218.56) and had five top-10 finishes, including individual titles at the Lion Classic and Cincinnati Collegiate Classic. He made the 2017 ITC all-tournament team, bowling for Lindenwood-Belleville, before transferring when the program at Belleville was discontinued.

“It means the world,” Hill said of the award. “Coming from the Belleville campus this past year was such a big transition. To come out this year and bowl my best … it’s been great.”

Calumet’s Michael Davidson, a first-team selection in 2015-2016, Alex Glinski of Savannah College of Art and Design-Savannah, Grand View’s Sam Cantrell, and Wichita State’s Wesley Low, the 2017 Most Valuable Player of the Intercollegiate Team Championships, joins Hill on the All-America first team. Glinski also was selected as Rookie of the Year by the NCBCA.

The NCBCA Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year awards were presented to William Paterson men’s coach Greg Hatzisavvas and Newman women’s coach Billy Murphy.

Gary Sparks was named the Teigen Meritorious Service Award winner. The award is presented annually by the NCBCA to an individual in recognition of outstanding service to collegiate bowling.